Five of them were acknowledged and received graduation certificates during the graduation ceremony Friday for the police department's 166th recruit academy at the Scottish Rite Center. Cota and Friend were not present.

They are now part of 65 dispatchers who answer 911 calls and dispatch officers on calls via radio.

Capt. Paul Figueroa called the dispatchers the "lifeline for the officers of the Oakland Police Department. Without them, police officers would have no one to listen to their requests for assistance or provide them with valuable information."